Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 196: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the social welfare schemes which may now only be paid to a bank account; the reason persons have been told they can no longer claim through the post office and the person will be liable for bank charges associated with the setting up of an account for this purpose. [6482/11]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 197: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide a guarantee that persons will not have their social welfare payments suspended or cut off as a result of a failure to open a bank account. [6485/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 196 and 197 together.

There are no schemes where payment may only be paid to a customer's bank account and payment through the Post Office has not been discontinued for any customer group previously paid through the Post Office. The Department is committed to providing a high quality service to our customers. We offer a range of payment options to customers including electronic fund transfer (EFT) to the customer's bank account, building society account or certain credit unions that have been authorised by the banking and credit union regulators. Electronic information transfer (EIT) to the post office network or cheque payments are also provided.

However, there are some instances whereby the Department may limit the choice of payment method. This is determined by reference to the scheme payment which the customer is in receipt of, the payment options available under that scheme and by reference to control and risk considerations for example where it is a condition of scheme that a claimant be resident in the State.

My Department supports government policy which aims to facilitate the greater use of electronic payment systems in the economy in the interests of developing a modern payments environment in Ireland. We will continue to develop strategies and solutions that avail of opportunities provided by developments in ICT and the Financial Services sector to improve existing services, to maximise efficiencies in payment instruments available and to support financial inclusion.

We continuously review our payment methods to ensure that customers are provided with a quality service that delivers the correct payment, by the due date, using the most cost effective method of payment that ensures value for money for our customers and the taxpayer.

Payments are not suspended or cut off where a customer does not have a bank account. If the Deputy is aware of a person who is concerned about their payment perhaps he could provide me with the details and I will have the matter examined.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 198: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason bank holidays are deducted from the jobseeker's benefit payments to claimants who are partially employed [6489/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Part-time or casual workers are not entitled to a jobseeker's payment in respect of public holidays to which they have an entitlement to pay from their employer. The purpose of this is to ensure that customers do not receive payment from their employer and from this Department in respect of the same day. Such days may, however, be treated as a day of unemployment for the purposes of satisfying the '3 in 6' rule, i.e., that a customer must be unemployed for at least three days out of six, to receive jobseeker's payment.